Garland rental registration rules: $65 single-family permit, $500 STR permit

Garland is one of the Texas cities that permits houses, not only apartments. Its Single Family / Short Term Rental Program, run by Code Compliance, covers two permits: one for every single-family rental, one for every short-term rental. The figures below are from the city’s program pages and the code article as read in September 2026; the city’s multifamily program was not read for this guide.

The single-family rental permit

“The City of Garland requires all single family rental properties to be permitted by Code Compliance.” Two rules follow. Fee: “a yearly fee of $65 must accompany the completed application, unless the property is certified and granted the permit extension.” Inspection: “a full inspection will be conducted upon each change of tenancy, unless the property is certified” (Single Family / Short Term Rental Program, program PDF). The certification route — a property that passes and earns an extension — is the way to reduce both the fee cycle and the inspection frequency; ask Code Compliance for its criteria. The application form is shared with the STR permit (application).

The short-term rental permit

“For Short Term Rentals, a yearly fee of $500, a copy of the floor plan, and proof of insurance must accompany the completed application.” The regulations are in Chapter 26, Article VI of the city code (Article VI — Short-term Rentals), and the city announced the start of enforcement in a news release (Enforcement begins). A long-term lease should prohibit stays under 30 days unless the owner holds the permit.

Housing inspections and the landlord forum

Code Compliance’s Housing inspections page describes the inspection function, and the Garland Housing Agency hosts a landlord forum. A landlord who attends learns what inspectors look for before the change-of-tenancy inspection rather than after.

The permit as a precondition of the lease

Because the permit attaches to the property and the inspection to the change of tenancy, the cleanest sequence is: permit issued, tenant selected, inspection requested and passed, lease signed, keys handed over. A lease signed before the inspection is not void, but a failed inspection then becomes a repair obligation with a tenant already in place and the §92.056 clock potentially running. Build the inspection into the offer letter: “move-in date subject to the City of Garland change-of-tenancy inspection.”

Voluntary items worth doing anyway

Two things the program does not require but the inspection will reward: a written self-inspection against the Texas Property Code’s security-device and smoke-alarm rules before the inspector arrives, and a photograph of every item you corrected. The Garland Housing Agency’s landlord forum (Garland Housing Agency) is where inspectors and landlords talk; a landlord who attends learns the current emphasis before the next turnover.

Multifamily: not read here

The city’s program for apartment properties was not accessible to the tools used for this guide; owners of multifamily properties should contact Code Compliance directly. This page does not state a rule it could not read.

GARLAND RENTAL PROGRAMS AT A GLANCE (READ SEPTEMBER 2026)
Program	Applies to	Fee	Inspection	Source
Single Family Rental permit	Every single-family rental	$65 per year (extension if certified)	Full inspection at each change of tenancy unless certified	Code Compliance
Short Term Rental permit	Every short-term rental	$500 per year + floor plan + proof of insurance	Per Chapter 26, Article VI	Article VI
Multifamily	Apartment properties	Not read for this guide	Contact Code Compliance	Housing inspections

What to keep in the file

The single-family permit, its renewal date, and the certification status if granted.
Each change-of-tenancy inspection report with correction dates.
For a short-term rental: the $500 permit, the floor plan filed, the insurance certificate and its renewal.
The lease’s access clause for city inspections and the subletting clause on short stays.

What changes in Garland

Every single-family rental is permitted — $65 a year — and inspected at each change of tenancy unless certified.
Certification earns a permit extension and fewer inspections; ask Code Compliance for the criteria.
Short-term rentals pay $500 a year and file a floor plan and proof of insurance.
The multifamily program could not be read for this guide and is not described.

Frequently asked questions

Is a rental permit mandatory for a house in Garland?

Yes. Code Compliance permits every single-family rental at $65 a year, with a full inspection at each change of tenancy unless the property is certified (City of Garland).

How can a Garland landlord reduce the inspection frequency?

By having the property certified, which the program page says grants a permit extension and replaces the inspection at each change of tenancy; ask Code Compliance for the certification criteria.

How much is Garland’s short-term rental permit?

$500 per year, with a copy of the floor plan and proof of insurance, under Chapter 26, Article VI (Article VI).

Does Garland inspect apartments?

The city has a housing inspections function, but its multifamily program was not accessible for this guide; contact Code Compliance directly.

Sources

Rules change and the right answer can depend on the home, the city, the lease and the timing. These are the official pages this guide relies on; check them before signing, charging a fee, sending a notice or making a legal decision.

General information for U.S. landlords, with a Texas focus. This guide is not legal, tax or accounting advice. Consult a qualified professional for your situation. Written by the rentalfreelease.com Editorial Team; last reviewed September 19, 2026.